Side rail sliding device for a bed

ABSTRACT

A sliding device has a longitudinal body and a slide. The body has two tracks, a depression and a stop. The tracks are defined along opposite sides of the body. The depression is defined in the body near the top of the body. The stop is flexibly formed on the bottom of the body. The slide is slidably mounted on the body. The stop has a shoulder defined in the top of the stop so that a lip is defined on the top of the stop and faces the slide. The stop will be kept from being pressed outward by means of the abutment between the lip and the slide. The useful life of the sliding device is prolonged, and the safety of using the sliding device is improved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a side rail sliding device, and more particularly to a side rail sliding device for a bed.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] With reference to FIG. 3, a bed comprises a bottom frame (42), two end frames (40), a slidable side rail (44) and a fixed side frame (46). The bottom frame (42 has two ends and two sides. The end frames (40) are mounted on opposite ends of the bottom frame (42). Two sliding devices are mounted on each end frame (40) to connect to the slidable side rail (44), such that the slidable side rail (44) is slidably mounted between the end frames (40) by the sliding devices. The fixed side frame (46) is secured to the bottom frame (42) and between the end frames (40). Accordingly, the slidable side rail (44) can be slid down relative to the end frames (40) so a person beside the bed has easier access to the person such as an infant, a patient or invalid in the bed or a person can be put into or taken out of the bed more easily. When the person is in the bed, the slidable side rail (44) is moved upward relative to the end frames (40) to keep the person from accidentally falling out of the bed. The use of the bed is versatile.

[0005] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the conventional sliding device in accordance with the prior art comprises a longitudinal body (50) and a slide (60). The body (50) has a top, a bottom, two sides, a front face and a rear face, and the rear face is attached to one of the end frames (40). A track (not numbered) is defined along each side of the body (50). A depression (52) is defined in the body (50) near the top of the body (50). A resilient stop (54) is formed on the bottom of the body (50).

[0006] The slide (60) has a proximal end and a distal end, is mounted in the slidable side rail (44), is slidably attached to the body (50) and comprises a slotted guide (not numbered) and a protrusion (62). The slotted guide integrally extends from the distal end of the slide (60) and slidably engages the tracks on the body (50) to slidably attach the slide (60) to the body (50). The protrusion (62) protrudes from the proximal end of the slide (60) and is inserted into one end of the slidable side rail (44), such that the slidable side rail (44) is slidably connected to the end frame (40) by the body (50) and the slide (60). In addition, a notch (64) is defined in the bottom of slide (60). When the slide (60) moves to a lowermost position on the body (50), the notch (64) receives the stop (54) on the body (50). The stop (54) blocks and holds the slide (60), and the slidable side rail (44) is supported at the lowermost position. When the slidable side rail (44) is moved upward, the slide (60) slides upward along the tracks on the body (50). The slidable side rail (44) will be positioned in an uppermost position when one side of the slotted guide on the slide (60) engages the depression (52) near the top of the body (50).

[0007] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, when the slidable side rail (44) is positioned in the lowermost position, the stops (54) on the sliding devices must support the weight of the slidable side rail (44) and the slides (54) in addition to any force the user applies to the slidable side rail (44). Since the slide (60) is installed on the body (50) from the bottom of the body (50), the stop (54) must be flexible with respect to the body (50). Therefore, the stop (54) will be pressed outward relative to the body (50) due to the weight on and force applied to the stop (54). The stop (54) is easily deformed and broken as shown in the phantom lines in FIG. 5. The useful life of the conventional sliding device is shortened.

[0008] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved sliding device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The main objective of the invention is to provide an improved sliding device for a bed whose structural strength and useful life are improved. The sliding device has a longitudinal body and a slide. The longitudinal body has a front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom, two sides, two tracks, a depression and a stop. The tracks are defined along opposite sides of the body. The depression is defined in the body near the top of the body. The stop is flexibly formed on the bottom of the body. The slide is slidably mounted on the body. The stop has a shoulder defined in the top of the stop so that an lip is defined in the top of the stop and faces the slide. Consequently, the stop will be kept from being pressed outward by means of the abutment between the lip and the slide. The stop will not be deformed or broken even when a large force is applied to the stop. The useful life of the sliding device is prolonged, and the safety of using the sliding device is improved.

[0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a side rail sliding device in accordance with the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional side plan view of the side rail sliding device in FIG. 1 with the slide abutting the stop;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective of a bed with conventional side rail sliding devices;

[0014]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional side rail sliding device in accordance with the prior art; and

[0015]FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional side plan view of the conventional side rail sliding device in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] With reference to FIG. 1, a side rail sliding device for a bed in accordance with the present invention comprises a longitudinal body (10) and a slide (20). The bed is conventional and has a least one sliding side rail that can be raised or lowered. The longitudinal body (10) has a front face, a rear face, a top, a bottom, two sides, two tracks (not numbered), a depression (12) and a flexible stop (14) and is attached to one of the end frames of a bed with bolts (not shown). The two tracks are defined along opposite sides of the body (10). The depression (12) is defined along one track near the top of the body (10). The flexible stop (14) with a free end and an attached end is formed on the bottom of the body (10). A shoulder (142) is defined in the top of the stop (14) so that a lip (144) is defined in the top of the stop (14).

[0017] The slide (20) has a proximal end and a distal end, is mounted in the slidable side rail (44), is slidably attached to the body (10) and comprises a slotted guide (not numbered) and a protrusion (62). The slotted guide integrally extends from the distal end of the slide (20) and slidably engages with the tracks in the body (10). Consequently, the slide (20) is slidably mounted on the body (10) along the tracks. The protrusion (22) protrudes from the proximal end of the slide (20) to be inserted into one end of the slidable side rail of the bed. Accordingly, the slidable side rail will be slidably mounted between the end frames with multiple sliding devices. In addition, a notch (24) is defined in the bottom of slide (20) to engage the shoulder (142) in the stop (14) as the slide (20) slides to a lowermost position on the body (10).

[0018] With reference to FIG. 2, when the slidable side rail of the bed is moved to the lowermost position relative to the end frames, the notch (24) in the slide (20) will engage the shoulder (142) in the stop (14). The slide (20) is supported on the stop (14). Because the shoulder (142) is defined in the top of the stop (14) and a lip (144) is formed, the stop (14) is kept from be pressed outward by means of the abutment between the lip (144) and the slide (20). The stop (14) will not bend relative to the body (10) even when a large force is applied to the slidable side rail of the bed. The structural strength of the stop (14) is improved, and the useful life of the sliding device is prolonged. The safety of using the sliding device is improved.

[0019] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sliding device for a bed having a bottom frame, two end frames respectively mounted on each of opposite ends of the bottom frame, a fixed side frame attached to the bottom frame between the end frames and a slidable side rail slidably mounted between the end frames, the sliding device comprising: a longitudinal body adapted to be mounted on one of the end frames and having: a track defined along each of opposite sides of the body; a depression defined in the body near a top of the body; and a flexible stop with a free end and an attached end formed on a bottom of the body; and a slide slidably mounted on the body and having: a proximal end and a distal end; a slotted guide extending from the distal end of the slide and slidably engaging the tracks on the body to slidably mount the slide on the body; and a protrusion protruding from the proximal end of the slide and adapted to connect to one end of the slidable side rail, wherein the stop has a shoulder defined in a top of the stop so that a lip is defined in the top of the stop and faces the slide to keep the stop from be pressed outward relative to the body by means of abutment between the lip and the slide.
 2. The sliding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slide further has a notch defined in a bottom of slide to engage with the shoulder in the stop as the slide moves to a lowermost position relative to the body. 